The present invention relates to a method of controlling an automated power unit of a vehicle, for example a commercial vehicle.
Automated power units are known comprising an engine, a clutch and an automatic mechanical gearbox, which are controlled by an electronic control unit. In particular, the control unit is adapted to determine the optimum gear to be engaged according to stored control logics, on the basis of the operating conditions of the vehicle detected by means of sensors on board the vehicle; once the optimum gear has been determined, the control unit controls the engagement thereof and ensures the management of the clutch and the control of the supply to the engine during a gear-change.
The logics for determining the optimum gear generally comprise associating in a deterministic manner a given gear with a given set of values of the detected operating parameters (normally just the number of revolutions and the position of the accelerator pedal); the control achieved in this way may be satisfactory in average operating conditions but, since it does not take into account dynamic driving conditions, it is generally wholly inadequate in certain operating conditions.
In some instances, the control unit can operate in accordance with a plurality of distinct logics, which can be selected by the driver and which are adapted to different modes of driving (economical or sporting) or to different road or load conditions; in any case, the gear is rigidly selected by the control unit so as to optimise each time a predetermined parameter (for example, fuel consumption or power output), without taking into account voluntary deviations on the part of the driver from the selected mode of driving.